One year after the COVID-19 outbreak in Germany: long-term changes in depression, anxiety, loneliness, distress and life satisfaction

Abstract

Several studies have linked the COVID-19 pandemic to unfavorable mental health outcomes. However, we know little about long-term changes in mental health due to the pandemic so far. Here, we used longitudinal data from a general population sample of 1388 adults from Germany, who were initially assessed between April and May 2020 (i.e., at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany) and prospectively followed up after 6 (n = 1082) and 12 months (n = 945). Depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as loneliness did not change from baseline to 6-month follow-up. While anxiety symptoms did not change in the long run, depressive symptoms and loneliness increased and life satisfaction decreased from baseline to 12-month follow-up. Moreover, vulnerable groups such as younger individuals or those with a history of mental disorders exhibited an overall higher level of psychopathological symptoms across all assessment waves. Our findings suggest a deterioration in mental health during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, which emphasizes the importance to implement targeted health promotions to prevent a further symptom escalation especially in vulnerable groups.